SPRINGFIELD — Assistant Majority Leader Iris Y. Martinez (D-Chicago) is making it easier for graduating high schoolers to receive the State Seal of Biliteracy.

Her new law requires the Illinois State Board of Education (ISBE) to accept other testing methods for students to demonstrate English language proficiency for eligibility for the seal.

“Learning to read, write and speak in two different languages is an impressive skill for anyone, particularly young people,” Martinez said. “This law gives ISBE more flexibility to recognize that achievement.”

The State Seal of Biliteracy is a recognition given to graduating high school students who have demonstrated a high level of proficiency in English and in reading, writing, listening and speaking in another language.

House Bill 3237 is effective immediately.

GRAYSLAKE – Zion Benton received approval to be an Enterprise Zone, thanks to efforts by State Senator Melinda Bush.

“It’s been decades since the Zion Nuclear Power Station shut down and the community is still reeling from loss of jobs and tax revenue ,” Bush (D-Grayslake) said. “An Enterprise Zone in Zion is crucial to create jobs, recruit new businesses and boost the local economy.”

The Illinois Enterprise Zone granted Zion Benton designation to help encourage job growth and investment in the area. Enterprise Zones are a locally driven tool that provide financial incentives for companies and organizations seeking to develop or create new jobs in the Enterprise Zone. This can include property tax reductions, sales tax exemptions on qualifying building materials, investment tax credits and utility tax exemptions, among other local incentives.

ELGIN – After Amita Health announced plans earlier this week to close behavioral health units at two hospitals, including St. Joseph Hospital in Elgin, State Senator Cristina Castro (D-Elgin) released the following statement:

“I am extremely disappointed by Amita’s decision to close the behavior health unit at St. Joseph’s without any community input. Amita made an investment in the community, and many residents of the community rely on that investment. By pulling out, they are damaging lives.

“There is a substantial population of homeless people who use the services provided by the behavioral health unit to receive the treatment they need. That unit is also important for the well-being of minorities throughout the community. Since there are no other mental health wards nearby, closing this unit leaves these people with no options for treatment. This is shameful.

SPRINGFIELD — Assistant Majority Leader Iris Y. Martinez (D-Chicago) is continuing her work to ensure the needs of immigrant communities in Illinois are met.

Her new law creates the Immigration Task Force to examine specified issues related to immigrant communities in Illinois, as well as possible solutions.

“Immigrants in our state are facing an extremely difficult time due to toxic rhetoric and policies from the federal government,” Martinez said. “I am glad the governor shares my commitment to making sure they know they are welcome and protected in Illinois.”

SPRINGFIELD – A state commission overseeing charter school applications will be abolished under a new law sponsored State Senator Linda Holmes (D-Aurora). Gov. JB Pritzker has signed the measure that will keep those decisions in local hands.

Senate Bill 1226 would change the charter school application process to abolish the State Charter School Commission by July 1, 2020, and transfers most of its duties to the Illinois State Board of Education. Locally elected school boards and parents would decide if a charter school is good for their community.

Charter schools currently in the renewal process would be transferred to ISBE. The bill also provides that a local school board may not revoke or not renew a charter except for obvious justifying circumstances.

SPRINGFIELD — A new law sponsored by Assistant Majority Leader Iris Y. Martinez (D-Chicago) creates rules to allow small distilleries to self-distribute spirits.

Martinez’s measure creates a class 1 craft distiller licensee, which allows a licensee to manufacture up to 50,000 gallons of spirits and to self-distribute or sell not more than 5,000 gallons of spirits to retail licensees or consumers.

The bill also creates a class 2 craft distiller license, which allows production of up to 100,000 gallons and allows the licensee to transfer up to 5,000 gallons of spirits to a distilling pub wholly owned and operated by the class 2 distiller.

SPRINGFIELD — A new law sponsored by Assistant Majority Leader Iris Y. Martinez (D-Chicago) seeks to crack down on the practice of notaries falsely advertising legal services.

Martinez’s measure strengthens the notice requirements for people who are advertising notary public services in a language other than English and who are not licensed to practice law or accredited as an immigration representative.

“We know that there are some bad actors taking advantage of those for whom English is not their first language and charging them for services they are not legally able to provide,” Martinez said. “I am glad the governor took this issue seriously and signed my legislation into law.”

SPRINGFIELD – A package of proposals passed by State Senator Julie Morrison (D-Deerfield) reforming the troubled Department of Children & Family Services (DCFS) agency was signed into law recently by Gov. Pritzker.

One of the most sweeping proposals signed is Senate Bill 1778, a proposal Morrison worked with advocates and fellow lawmakers on for years to update the confusing set of state rules governing reporting of child abuse in Illinois.

“The first step in addressing potential child abuse is the reporting of that behavior,” Morrison said. “If the abuse is not being reported – or if individuals don’t know the signs of abuse or who to even report to – the entire system is in jeopardy of not working, leaving abused children in dangerous situations.”